Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-06-22

"When men chased one another
around the bases that way how
could you tell the difference between a
game of ball and six days go-as-
you-please?"
The roar of laughter silenced father,
who cCntented himself with shaking
his fist at Johnny. just then Peter
got one right where he wanted it and
ne hit a grounder to father. The vet
eran stopped down and gathered 1T
in IN great ape, while the boys
cheered and applauded.
CHOW we've got him, Pop! Let her
come hot" screamed frankie, dane
ing q wild can-can on first.
But father had his eye on Peter,
who was running toward first, and
with all the accuracy OF O. crack wing
shot, he let the ball drive and caught
the unhappy Peter on the, small ribs
just as he was nearing the base. The
general clam0r which followed as
founded father.
"What are you doing? Who are
you hitting? What sort of way is
that ?"
"Not outp shouted the umpire's
silvery voice, as Peter sat down on
first base and searched the heavens
for his lost breath.
"Not outl" What do you mean ?"
said father. The situation was ex-
planned to him, and the nature of the
new rule made plain. Father was
disappointed. He wanted to hit
some one. That was the way he
used to play. But he resigned him
self to his fate. The game proceeded,
and father soon found himself on
first base, while the irreverent John
ny was at short. Then the batsman
hit to Johnny and that nimble youth
'scooped in" the ball and hurled it
to first. But father had by this time
rambled back into the past and was
expecting to see Johnny "peg" theman
running TO first. The result was that
the ball struck father fairly lust
above the belt and doubled him up
like two-fOOt rlIle.
Johnny looked rather white, while
the umpire rushed to first base with
a great huttering of white fannels,
and kneeling beside her PROSTATE sire,
murmured:
care you hurt, papa darling?"
Father sat up and rubbed his eyes,
gasped a, few times, and then said:
"See here, thought it was against
the rules to hit man."
There was another series of expla-
nations and then the game went on.
And then some one hit high foul to
father. He danced merrily out and
got we'll under the ball, and the boys
all got ready to yell, 'good CATCH"
DID liza
father on the end OF his finger, and 60
ing through his hands landed on his
nose. Again there was confusion and
the umpire, just a trifle tremulous
about the lips, whispered: "Papa,
dear, don't play any more, please"
"Not play any more? What do
you mean ?" said father, bristling up
and wiping his face bravely. "I
haven't got into the old form yet"
And soon father was pitcher. Then
those cruel boys commenced to
whack three-baggers all over the field
until their sire was well-nigh worn
out with his exertions. Fortunately
some one went out on q fly and ia
Their limped back TO the catcher.
They called call him catcher, but
he did not catch anything except one
foul tip, and he caught that on the
chin.
"What makes the ball go so crook
ed ?" he asked, after missing the
fourth stroke by about foot.
"That's the curve" said Albert.
"What curve?"
"The curve 90 the ball"
"Nonsense. The ball can't curve"
Then there was another pause for
half an hour while the theory of
curved pitching was explained to fa-
ther. And when he finally went in to the
bat he thought he knew all about it.
When his turn came to strike Johnny
had come up to pitcher, and that
willy youngster had more curves and
shoots and lodges than he had fin
gers. So when he pitched an out
curve and father famed the air, he
laughed a demoniac laugh. Father
smiled. He saw the curve and pre-
pared to meet it on the next ball.
But the villainous Johnny pitched an
in-shoot, and when father reached
for the expected out-curve he got a
whack on the left wrist that made
him drop his bat with an exclama-
ton that quite shocked the umpire.
"Give father an easy one," pleaded
the umpire; "don't be so mean"
"Come off," said the irreverent
Johnny, sending rising out-curve,
on which father quite threw himself
away.
But the veteran was full of courage,
and there was an exultant feminine
shrek as he hammered the next ball
for base hit between short and
second.
"Run, papa, runv" screamed the
umpire, clapping her hands; ''you're
not half going!'
But father made his first and smiled
a smile of benign triumph on the as
sembly.
"Now, father" said Albert, stake
plenty Of ground and go to second as
soon as he pitches; George can't
throw straight to second"
'Take ground? What ground?"
"Time," called Albert; and he ex-
nlQinpd his mQapipo RI hIo father